Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng has launched the Lenacapavir injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug for HIV prevention, as the country steps up efforts to curb the spread of the HIV virus and bring an end to the public health threat by 2030.
The launch on Friday at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, follows Uganda receiving it’s initial consignment of 19,200 doses from the Global Fund in February this year.
The launch was witnessed by US Embassy Deputy Head of Mission in Uganda, Mikael Cleverly and Dr Richard Kabanda who represented the Director General of Health Services Prof Charles Olaro among other officials.
The Director Lira Regional Referral Hospital Dr Andrew Odur, noted that the drug will be administered to high-risk populations.
Dr. Odur, further reiterated that the drug will only be administered to those who are HIV negative.
“The transition from specialised HIV treatment to an integrated service model has not only improved clinical outcomes but has also significantly increased patient satisfaction and reduced the feeling of segregation within the facility” he said.
In Uganda, the drug is currently available in selected districts including Mukono, Fort Portal, Masaka, Kampala, Mubende, Kasanda, Mityana and Lira, with expansion planned in the coming months.
Lenacapavir, manufactured by Gilead Sciences and marketed as Yeztugo, was named the 2024 Breakthrough of the Year by Science magazine after early study results showed more than 99% efficacy in reducing HIV infections.
The US government and the Global Fund are co-financing an advanced market commitment to make the drug accessible to up to two million people across high-burden countries by 2028.
According to a statement from the U.S Embassy the three way partnership between the U.S, the Global Fund and Ministry of Health, will deliver enough doses of lenacapavir to treat 46,000 people in 2026, with plans to expand supply in 2027 and beyond.
“This initiative leverages U.S. innovation to advance shared goals to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030, reduce new infections by 90 percent, and contribute to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission” the statement reads.
The Embassy further revealed plans to co invest with the Global fund to expand access to the drug including procurement to reach up to 3 million people by 2028, with Gilead Sciences providing the medication at cost and supporting expanded generic production.
In an interview, Gilead Sciences announced a U.S. list price of $28,218 (UGX 101,574,641) per person per year.
However, a research paper published early this year in The Lancet HIV found that generic lenacapavir could cost between $35 (UGX 12,598) and $46 (UGX 165,583) per person per year.
The cost could fall further to $25 (UGX 89,991) per person per year if there is committed demand of five to ten million people within the first year, bringing the price in line with—or even lower than—current oral PrEP.
